Mechanical gun.



R. S. BLAIR.

MECHANICAL GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-14,1914.

1 384,999. Patented Nov. 19, 1918..

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. S. BLAIR.

MECHANICAL GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-14,1914.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2- ME L TOR.

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MECHANICAL GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-14,1914.

1 384,999. Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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R. S. BLAIR. MECHANICAL GUN.

- APPLICATION FILED JAN-14,1914. 1 84,999. Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ROBERT S. BLAIR, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

MECHANIC-AL GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

Application filed January 14, 1914. Serial No. 811,961.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. BLAIR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for throwing or discharging projectiles. One of the objects thereof is to provide apparatus of the above type of simpleand practical construction operated from mechanical means. Another object is to provide apparatus of the above type in which the direction of discharge is readily controlled. Another object is to provide in apparatus of the first-mentioned type automatic means for insuring accuracy of fire. Other objects are to provide in apparatus of the type firstmentioned features of ready portability, high rate of disoharge,long range and accuracy.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of this invention,

Figure 1 is a plan of the apparatus, certain parts being cut away to show the structure more clearly along the line ee of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line ma of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan of a projectile-discharging device Fig. 4 is a similar view, certain parts being cut away to disclose the structure;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line aa of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a discharging device along line d-(Z of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line bb of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a plan of a different type of discharge mechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line cc of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan of a portion of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the centrifugal s'ight-controlling device shown in Fig.2 of the drawings.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. I

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a vehicle comprising front wheels 1 and a rear wheel 2, upon which is mounted. through any suitable springs and common connections, the frame 3, the latter being preferably forked over wheel 2 in a construction similar to that used in bicycles. The shaft of this steering fork is carried upwardly through the frame, as shown at 4, and provided with a lever arm 5. from which a connecting rod 6 leads to a steering lever 7 the handle 8 of which is adjacent the seat 9. As lever 7 is pivoted at 10, the direction of the rear wheel 2 and direction of travel of the vehicle is thus controlled through the handle 8.

Mounted upon frame 3, as indicated in the diagrammatic plan at 11 and shown in detail in Fig. 2, is an engine bed of an internal combustion engine. This engine is diagrammatically indicated at 12 and coacts with the cranks 13 of a crank shaft 14, the details of the engine not being shown as they form in themselves no part of this invention. Upon crank shaft 14 is a sprocket Wheel 15, through which the engine may be started if desired, as by means of foot-pedals provided With a ratchet connection. Loosely mounted upon this shaft is a sprocket 16, having on its inner surface a cone-shaped depression 17 adapted to receive and engage with a slidable clutch member 18, splined to the shaft. The opposite side of clutch member 18 is provided with a clutch portion 19, adapted to coact with a similar portion 20 upon a bevel gear 21, loosely mounted upon the shaft. The position of clutch member 18 is controlled by means of a. lever 22, pivoted at 23 to a supporting arm 24: and provided with a pin 25 engaging in the circular groove 26. In this manner, according as the lever 22 is swung one way or the other, the clutch member 18 is forced into operative engagement with and drives either sprocket 16 or gear 21, both of the latter being loose upon shaft 14 for rotary movement although longitudinal movement may be prevented by any well known form of. shoulders. From sprocket 16 a sprocket chain 27 leads to the driving axle 28 and the vehicle may thus be driven from the engine 12.

Mounted upon the shaft 14 and having a rotary connection therewith at 29-and 30 is an. auxiliary frame 31, upon which the arm 24 is formed. Frame 31 comprises the arms 32 and a cross-bar 33, as well as the upper supportingarms 34, hereinafter described. Loosely journaled in cross-bar 33, as by the stud 35, is a spur gear 36, having thereon and coaxial therewith a bevel pinion 37 meshing with the bevel gear 21. These parts are so formed and proportioned that the frame 31- may be swung about shaft 14, turning at the bearings 29 and 30 andkeeping the bevel pinion 37 in proper mesh with bevel gear 21.

Mounted upon the upper surface of crossbar 33 is a projectile-throwing disk 38, provided with a downwardly extending sleeve 39, fixed to a spur pinion 40 meshing with the spur gearv 36. It will thus be seen that as the gear 36 is rotated the disk 38 will be rotated through sleeve 39 at a much higher rate of speed.

Formed 'upon or secured to the disk 38 is a curved guide-arm 41, which is inclined with respect to the plane of the disk as indicated in Fig. 5. This guide-arm curves substantially in the form. shown from the outer portlon of the disk toward its center and merges into the tubular conduit 42, which curves upwardly to the mouth 43 and is supported by the arm 44, as indicated in Fig. 2, all of these parts being rotatable with disk 38. The mouth of the conduit 42 is in sub stantial registry with the axis of rotation of disk 38 and also coincides with the discharge outlet of a hopper 45, provided with a suitable cover and supported by the arms 34.-

In this manner projectiles in the hopper are fed downwardly into the conduit mouth 43, irrespective of the rate of, rotation of disk 38, and are whirled about with the latter,

passing outwardly by centrifugal force and guided by conduit 42 ridge 41.

A suitable counterbalance '46, of proper weight and position, serves to counterbalance all parts rotatable with disk 38, so as to preserve a state of kinetic balance when the disk is rotated at high speed.- 7 j Mounted upon the upper surface of disk 38 is a discharge shaft 47, journaled as at 48 and having at its inner end a worm-wheel'49, meshing with a relatively stationary worm 50, formed upon the pin 51, which extends upwardly through sleeve 39' and is providedwith a lever 52. The outer end of shaft 47 is provided with a notched feeding wheel 53, the notches of which are adapted to receive projectiles, one at a. time,,as they gather and the proj ec'ting at the end of the guide 41 and move the same as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. This wheel will thus feed the projectiles past the end of guide 41 and thus release them for discharge, and the worm-wheel as well as the notches in member 53 are so proportioned that shaft-47 will be turned upon its own axis just a sufiicient distance to carry one projectile past the end of guide 41 at each revolution of the disk 38. In this manner, as disk 38 is rotated the stationary worm will cause a rotation of shaft 47 to'release one projectile at each rotation of the disk at precisely the same point in the rotation of the latter and the projectiles will all be thrown in exactly the same direction. These projectiles, moreover, will be given a rotary motion about an axis coincident with their direction of travel when free, similar to that given by'the rifling of an ordinary gun, by reason of the sharp ridges 54 in the surface of the disk on which they travel when freed. These ridges extend in a substantially circumferential direction with respect to the disk, and,

tangential direction, their lower surface is retarded and they are rotated in a manner similar to that of a rifle-ball.

The ridges may be formed of hardened steel and may be similar to the teeth of a coarse file, and as the projectile is snapped over them at high speed and with great force, it will be whirled with a corresponding velocity.

Inasmuch as the plane of rotation of disk 38 is substantially horizontal, any slight inaccuracies in the precisepoint of dischargeof the projectiles will merely give a lateral displacement of the line of fire without affecting the elevation or range. The latter is controlled by swinging the entire frame 31 about crank-shaft 14,,which may be accomplished with the parts in motion. Moreover, the lateral aim may be varied by a slight twisting of the worm-pin 51, which would, of

course, alter the'angular position of the dislever is preferably provided with a sight 55 i by which the exact direction of discharge can be determined and adjusted."

Partially encircling disk 38 is a concave guard 56, adapted to receive any projectiles ischarged at incorrect or undesired points, as by accident, and deflect them downwardly as well as retarding them to a substantially harmless degree. This guard is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings and may be formed of hardened steel or other suitable metal. v

In the use of the apparatus the vehicle is driven for travel from an engine 12 through the sprocket 16, as above described, 6

being steered by means of the handle 8. If

it is desired to use the firing apparatus, the clutch member 18 is thrown into engagement with the bevel gear 21, and by a suitable multiplication the disk .38 is rotated at extremely high speed. The sight 55 is preferably automatically swung downwardly or upwardly with respect to 52 according as the speed of disk 38 decreases or increases by means of a centrifugal governor driven from the gearing. This adjusts for the flatter trajectory of projectiles as the speed of 38 increases. This device is shown in Figs. 2 and 11, and it will readily be understood that it acts upon the sight by means of a crank formed on a spindle secured to the sight, and swings the crank upwardly or downwardly in accordance with the speed of the device. It is to be understood that various equivalent mechanisms might be employed. By use of sight 55 a proper adjustment of the handle 52 is gained and a slide valve 57 is opened and the steel balls permitted to fall into the mouth of conduit at 43. These are immediately thrown out by centrifugal force to the discharge-wheel 53 and the latter frees them one at a time at precisely the same point of revolution of the disk 38. These projectiles are thus thrown out at a high rate of speed with a suitable twisting or rifiing motion, and, the parts being balanced, a long range of fire and accurate discharge may readily be gained. It is also to be noted that the teeth of the member 53 are inclined with respect to a radial direction and thus have a whipping effect upon the projectile as it is released which increases its speed. I

It is to be noted that the surface of guide 41 is inclined even at its outermost surface with respect to a circumferential line and thus a component of the centrifugal force acting on the particles helps to drive the member 53 as they tend to free themselves.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, there is shown similar apparatus which is intended to be driven in a similarmanner with a different type of discharging or projectile freeing means. The rotary disk 58 is provided with a guide-arm 59 and'a stop 60, against which the projectiles rest. The outward or discharging movement of the projectiles is prevented "by the flange 61 of an outer disk 62, driven by the gear 63, whereas disk 58 is driven by gear 64'. Flange 61 is provided with a series of openings 65 adapted successively to register with the opening 66 between the end of guide 59 and the stop 60, suitable cross-ridges 66 being provided at the latter point for the twisting or rifle movement of the projectile. proportioning of gears 63 and 64, the disks 62 and 58 are 'driven at slightly different rates of speed although in the same direction.

By a suitable The difference in the rates of speed is such that the successive openings 65 each register with the passage 66 in turn for each rotation of disk 58, and thus one of the projectiles is discharged at each rotation of the latter. The rotation of disk 62 may be slightly more slow or slightly more rapid than disk 58, but the gears and other parts are to be so proportioned that there is a difference in circumferential speed equal to the distance between the openings 65 for each revolution.

As shown in F ig. 10, the inner surface 67 of flange 61"is preferably shaped so as to diverge from the outer circular edge of disk 58 from each openin 65 to the next opening so that the outwar ressure against this flange by the projecti e awaiting discharge will tend to aid the relative movement of disk 62 with respect to disk 58. As shown, the parts are formed for a greater speed of drive of 62 than that of 58; that is, 62 advances with respect to 58 the distance between two suecessive openings 65 for each revolution of 58. This exact shaping of the flange and the rounding of the edge at 68 cannot be shown in the smaller scale views Figs. 8 and 9 of this apparatus. It is to be understood that the same feed and various other features of the apparatus first described are to be used with this form of apparatus.

The operation of this apparatus will be clear from that above described. It will thus be seen that there is provided apparatus in which the several objects of this invention and in which the above and other advantages are attained.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrated and not in a limited sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotary member, means adapted to rotate said member at a high speed, means adapted to feed projectiles to said member adjacent its axis, means composed wholly of rotating parts adapted automatically to set free said projectiles from said member at a predetermined point in its rotation, means adapted to vary in a horizontal direction the point at which said projectiles are freed, and means adapted to impart a whirling motion to said projectiles as they are set free.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotary member, means adapted to rotate said member at a high speed,

, from contact with said projectiles and extending about a material portion of said rotary member and adapted to recelve projectiles discharged at incorrect polnts, and

means adapted to adj ust'the position of said guard member. 4

3. In apparatus-0f the class described, In combmation, a rotary member, means adapted to rotate said member at a high speed, means adapted to feed projectiles to said member, said member being provided with means movable therewith adapt- 20 ed to receive said projectiles and throw them by its rotary movement, means adapted to free said projectiles at a predetermined point of their rotation, a guard member extending'about a material portion of said rotary member 'normally out. of contact with said projectiles and adapted to receive projectiles discharged at incorrect points,

said guard member being formed to provide a conca vesurface in which said projectiles are received and being adjustably mounted.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotary'member, means adapted to rotate said member at high speed, 'means adapted to feed projectiles to said member to be thrown therefrom by centrif-. ugal force, a sight, and means adapted to change the position of said sight as the speed of said rotary member is changed.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotary member, means adapted to rotate said member at high speed, means adapted to feed projectiles to said member to be thrown therefrom by centrifugal force, a sight for determining the flight of projectiles from'said rotary member, and means adapted to adjust the elevation of said sight in accordance with the speed of rotation of said rotary member.

6. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotary member, means adapted to rotate said member at high speed about an upright axis, means adapted to vary the inclination of said rotary member; means adapted to feed projectiles to said rotary member to be rotated therewith and thrown therefrom by centrifugal force, a sight mountedfor adjustment with said rotary member and Y with respect to said rotary member, and means adapted to adjust the position of said sight in an upright plane with respect to said rotary member in' accordance with the speed of rotation of said rotary member.

7. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotary member, means adapted to rotate said member at high speed, means adapted to feed projectiles to said member to be thrown therefrom by centrifugal force, a sight, means adapted to change the position of sai d sight as the speed of said rotary member is changed, said rotary member being mounted to vary the elevation at which said projectiles are thrown, and a guard normally free from contact with said projectiles embracing said rotary member and adjustable therewith. I

8. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotary member, means adapted to rotate said member at high speed about an upright axis, means adapted to feed projectiles -to said member, means mounting said member to permit it to be swung in an upright plane and thereby vary the elevation at which projectiles are-thrown therefrom, and a guard extending about said rotary member normally free from contact with said projectiles and mounted to swing with said rotary member in said upright plane.

9. In apparatus combination, a member mounted torotate, means adapted to rotate said member at a high speed, means adapted to feed projectiles to said member, said member being adapted to rotate said projectiles and throw them by its rotary movement, and means adapted to impart a twisting motion to said pro ectiles in a direction of rotation about their direction of travel as an axis.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a rotatable member, means adapted to drive said member at high rate of speed, means adapted to feed projectiles to sai member, a sight for the discharge of projectiles from said member, and automatic means adapted to adjust said sight in accordance with the speed of drive of said member.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 13th day of January, A. D. 1914.

' H. J. BRUNJES,

J. H. BELLMANN.

of the class described, in 

